Cell phones are great, if people would just answer when you called!
Thirty years ago, if you called someone on the telephone and could not reach them, you simply could not reach them. Today, if you call someone on the telephone and can’t reach them, something horrible must have happened. If someone can’t answer, we at least expect them to get back ASAP.
Communications 101 dictates that the person delivering a message is responsible for how that message is received. The deliverer is responsible for tone, pace, medium and the other variables that affect how a message is received.
But sometimes the receiver is responsible for the sense of panic you may feel when you cannot get hold of them. Raise your hand if there is a significant person in your life over the age of 65 who is less enthused by connectivity than you are.
For me, it’s my 71-year-old father-in-law. He lives with us and has been a huge help with our children, getting them where they need to go. And while he asked for a new phone, he doesn’t use half of what it’s capable for, even though e-mail, texting and the camera were all functions he wanted.
As a daily attendee of Mass, he is constantly turning his phone off, then forgetting to turn it on. That can make it frustrating if there is a change of plans. But so far, nothing horrible has happened.
What this has prompted in me is an adjustment of expectations. The kids have phones and so does he, so I should be able to get hold of someone when I need to. Have you had to adjust your expectations?
Image from ElderGadget.
